Fluorescent lamps are currently used to a great extent in cold environments, such as for example freezers. Known fluorescent lamps are, however, bulky and require a lot of energy. A commonly-found type of fluorescent lamp is a so-called “T8” fluorescent lamp (26 mm external diameter), that can be built in behind the door pillar of the freezer. This type of fluorescent lamp requires a U-shaped transparent polycarbonate shield, which is intended to shield the fluorescent lamp from cooling and mechanical damage. This cold shield is, however, inadequate and therefore the fluorescent lamp becomes too cold and has a mercury vapour pressure that is too low, which in turn means that the energy transformation of the mercury to the ultraviolet wavelength 253.7 nm (the ultraviolet wavelength 253.7 nm is converted in the tube's phosphor to visible light) is greatly reduced. The energy efficiency of the fluorescent lamp is therefore low. The abovementioned problem is generally solved by utilizing fluorescent lamps with high energy consumption, so that the energy efficiency and the illumination increase. This is, however, an expensive way of solving the abovementioned problem.
Another problem with known technology is that, when slimline fluorescent lamps that are currently available, such as “T5” fluorescent lamps (17 mm external diameter), are used in the freezer, in order to make more room for food, for example, the sensitivity of these fluorescent lamps to cold results in a shorter life and lower energy efficiency and a lower level of illumination.
An additional problem is that known fluorescent lamps adapted for cold environments, which fluorescent lamps have a larger external diameter, for example 38 mm, do not fit inside existing plastic shields, such as a transparent U-shaped polycarbonate shield. This plastic shield also produces a reflection, that dazzles a viewer who wants to see the illuminated goods.
Fluorescent lamps of the standardized type “T5” are based on high-frequency operation (frequencies above 20 kHz) and have the following important differences compared to fluorescent lamps with 50 Hz operation, which have to date dominated previously-known fluorescent lamps of the “thermo” type:                the two electrodes of the fluorescent lamp work in general both as anodes and cathodes, as the fluorescent lamp is operated with alternating current. The electrodes emit electrons to the discharge when they work as cathodes and receive electrons when they work as anodes. High-frequency operation means that, in the anode phase, the electrodes are heated up a very small amount by the stream of electrons, while the heating up at 50 Hz is considerably larger, as the anode voltage drop is higher at 50 Hz and the kinetic energy of the electrons is accordingly greater when they strike the cathode surface. The heat generation in the electrodes is thus reduced by approximately 50% for high-frequency operation in comparison to 50 Hz operation.        
A problem with known thermofluorescent lamps of the high-frequency type has been that the temperature inside the fluorescent tube behind the electrodes, that is near the end caps, becomes lower due to the conduction of heat from the inner tube (the fluorescent tube) to the end caps and then to the outer tube, with the result that the danger of cold spots at the ends increases with high-frequency operation (lower temperature than at the middle of the tube), allowing the mercury to condense.
Through U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,136, a fluorescent lamp of the type mentioned in the introduction is already known. A heat-insulating, sleeve-shaped radial spacer is arranged between an inner fluorescent tube and a surrounding outer protective tube in order to maintain a required distance between the tubes and to achieve a heat insulation between them at the ends. A metal end cap has an axial peripheral part that is connected to the inner fluorescent tube, whereby heat can be conducted to the end cap. A shrunk-on plastic cover holds the outer tube fixed in the end cap.